HP Tales
by rokerbaby93087
Summary: This is just some random stories thrown together, pieces of plot that I left out of my others but still want to write. Rated as T because I'm not sure what's going to happen yet. !WARNING MASSIVE DH SPOILERS!
1. A year later part 1

I said I wasn't going to do another story, but I can't resist it! Who can resist an ending like that? I'm just doing a bunch of random little stories – nothing like I did before.

WARNING: Massive DH spoilers.

* * *

Ginny Weasley woke up in the middle of the night. She wasn't sure why she had woken up. The sun wasn't anywhere near coming up. She rolled onto her side toward where Harry should be. 

She had moved in with him at Grimmauld Place a while ago and spent her time between there and the Burrow. It had only been a little more than a year since everything had happened, but now that she knew that he was all to her, that he wasn't leaving on any other adventure anytime soon, she couldn't resist being there with him. He had welcomed her in immediately. He even seemed like he would have suggested it if she didn't. They stayed there for more than a year. Harry rarely ever left. It seemed like he didn't want to do anything to compensate for how exciting his life had been over the last seven years.

She would be leaving soon, though. She had never really gotten to finish her seventh year of school, and needed to finish so that she could graduate and move on to something else. She was going to Hogwarts, but she wouldn't be staying there. Hardly worth it, as she'd only be there for about a month. McGonagall, who had been given back her headmistress position, gladly accepted anyone whose year had been chopped off because of the attack on Hogwarts. Ginny had waited a year, not wanting to leave her family or Harry after what had happened to them, but now she felt like it was the best time. Harry could finish his entire seventh year – the ministry would probably even pay for it – but he didn't seem to want to. He looked quite content to just sit inside all day.

Ginny rolled over, hoping that listening to his heart beating and the slow rhythm of his breaths she could get back to sleep. All she got, however, was a nose full of cat hair. Harry was nowhere to be seen, and in his place was Crookshanks. Hermione had left him with Harry while she and Ron went on a vacation to Australia. Ginny sat up, looking around the room as if he might be there somewhere, but all that she saw was the various posters on the wall. Harry had taken over Sirius's old room, including all of the pictures in it. She didn't particularly like the ones of half naked muggle women, but they were permanently stuck to the wall.

She rolled out of bed slowly and looked at a clock. It was nearly two in the morning. Where could Harry be at 2 AM? It wasn't like him to stay up that late. Ginny pulled her hair back roughly and went into the hallway. Kreacher was walking down the stairs just below her. "Kreacher? Have you seen Harry?"

The house elf turned to her. "Miss should not be out of bed this late."

"Neither should Harry. Have you seen him?"

"The master went downstairs some time ago. Kreacher does not know why." The elf turned from her and continued on his way. Even though he had no real obligation to listen to her at all, Kreacher usually did listen to Ginny. He understood that she was pretty close to being his other master.

Ginny stumbled down the stairs, wishing that she had thought to grab her wand. It was so unbelievably dark. At the bottom of the stairs she saw a light, which came from a room where a small fire was lit. Harry was sitting on a chair, leaning forward and staring at the fire. "Harry?" He didn't answer or move at all. "Harry? What are you doing awake?" She went to him and sat on the arm of his chair. "Harry?"

"Couldn't sleep," he said in a very flat voice, still not looking at her.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Fine," he said in the same flat tone.

She reached out and put an arm around his shoulder. "Come back to bed. It's not good to stay up all night."

"I just want to be alone Ginny," he mumbled, still staring into the fire.

She kissed him on the neck gently. "Don't stay up too long." She got up and left him, hoping that he might follow her. She stood in the hall waiting for nearly a half an hour, but he didn't move. She went to the nearest room with a couch and sat onto it, thinking that she would let him alone for a bit and then go back to check on him.

* * *

When Ginny woke up again it was early in the afternoon. She hadn't meant to sleep that long. She hurried off to find Harry, but he wasn't by the fire anymore. Instead she found him in the kitchen, sitting hunched over the table with a cup in his hands, and staring into the cup like he had at the fire. She sat next to him, but he didn't make any indication that he had noticed her. 

He looked absolutely horrible. His eyes were bloodshot and dark like he hadn't slept in several nights. He hadn't shaved in quite some time. He looked a lot thinner than he used to be, and his green eyes were not as bright as they once were. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing."

"Don't tell me that. Something is wrong."

"I'm fine."

"Then look at me," she said angrily. If nothing was wrong with him, why didn't he want to be around her all of a sudden? He blinked a few times, but his eyes didn't move from the cup, which was completely empty. She nuzzled her forehead against his chin. "Tell me what's bothering you." He still didn't respond. She wrapped her arms around him. He didn't return her hug, but he didn't push her away either. She pulled her head back to look into his eyes. He looked at her, and then looked away again. She suddenly got a whiff of what had been in the cup – firewhiskey. "Harry, just tell me. I won't love you any less for it."

She tried looking at his eyes again, but he wouldn't move. She pulled him up a bit. "Come up to bed with me. You need some sleep." He didn't protest. She pulled him to his feet and walked upstairs with him, keeping her arms around his middle. He shook a bit as he walked. It was frightening how frail he was.

When they made it to the room, he fell onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. She lied next to him and pulled him up against her. She petted his head to try to get him to sleep, but he wouldn't. He just stared across the room. She spent all day trying everything that she could think of but he wouldn't sleep. She looked at the clock. She was supposed to go to Diagon Alley, to get her things for school… "Do you want to go to Diagon Alley with me?"

"No." The same flat voice…

"Are you sure? We could stop by Quality Quidditch Supplies. I hear there's a new racing broom out."

"No thanks."

"Fine then. I need to get going, before the book store closes. I was thinking of stopping at the Burrow to say hi to mum."

"Fine."

"Do you want me to get you anything?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"I'll be off, then. I'll be back before it gets too late." She got up from the bed and left the room. Harry stayed where he was, staring. Ginny went down the stairs slowly, feeling very sad. Kreacher was dusting the elf heads. "Kreacher, keep an eye on Harry, would you?"

He nodded. Ginny continued on, grabbing her bag before heading out the front door. She apparated from the front step to London.

She continued on with her head down, not talking to anyone. What is wrong with him? Why won't he talk to me? He always told me his problems, always. Why has it changed? She was inside of her own thoughts so much that she almost passed the book store. She scanned through the books, looking for the ones she needed, when she saw a familiar bushy head. Hermione ran out of nowhere and hugged her. "What're you so happy about?" Ginny asked her.

"Oh, you'll see," she said quickly, as if she had to say everything fast or it might explode inside of her, "I'm going to the Burrow. Why don't you come along? Where's Harry?"

"I thought you were in Australia," Ginny mumbled, trying to avoid that subject.

"We just got back this morning. I heard there's a new 'Hogwarts: A History' out and I just had to get it. They don't sell it in Australia, at least not yet. I wanted to see if they've included anything about – well, you know."

Ginny nodded. "I needed to get some books for school."

"Oh, that's right, you're finishing up your classes. I wanted to, but I don't think I'll have the time anymore." Ginny wondered what could possibly be more important to Hermione than school now that they had finished with adventures. "You should bring Harry to the Burrow too. Is he here with you?"

"No, he wanted to stay home. I can't blame him. All of those reporters that attack him every time he's outside…"

"Right. You should go get him. This is going to be so exciting! I should get going. See you at the Burrow!" And she sprinted off to pay for her new book. Ginny went a bit slower, afraid of what Hermione might be talking about. When she had finished buying everything she went to her brothers' joke shop. It was closed at the moment, but she had the key to get inside. Fred and George had given her one when they first opened their shop in Hogsmeade so that she could hide out there whenever she wanted. The key worked on all of their doors. The inside of the shop was dark. Old boxes lay scattered around, covered in dust, like they had just left one day and never come back. The shop had never been the same since what had happened to Fred. For a long time everyone thought George would close the shop forever, but he stayed open in Hogsmeade.

There was a fireplace in the back room that she could use. A jar of floo powder had been knocked over and lay in a long trail in front of the fireplace. She picked some up and stepped into the fireplace.

"Ginny!" Her mother said as she appeared in the fire. "Oh, dear, how are you!" Mrs. Weasley ran forward to hug her daughter. After everything that had happened to their family in the past year, Mrs. Weasley was unusually happy all the time. "Did you buy your things for school?"

"Yes, I got it all."

"Good, good. I can't wait. You'll be the first to graduate since Percy. I've wanted a reason to have a party for so long." Ginny remembered the week long party that she had had for Harry nearly a year ago to celebrate his victory. She just then noticed that someone else was in the room. Percy was at the table. He smiled at her. Percy had also been unusually happy. When George almost closed the shop, Percy had shown up and helped him to keep it open, giving the excuse that he needed the job anyway since he had quit the ministry. "I only wish you could talk some sense into Ron, get him to go back with you."

"Like that would ever happen," Percy mumbled. Ginny joined her brother at the table, setting her things down. Percy noticed that something was wrong. "You okay?"

Mrs. Weasley's voice boomed over Percy's. "I made you're favorite – cherry pie!" Ginny smiled a bit. "I should show you how to make it. It's not hard, really. You could make them for yourself and Harry, then. Where is he?"

"He wanted to stay home," Ginny said simply, hoping she wouldn't pursue it.

"Oh, poor thing. Has he been well?"

"Yes, but, recently, he seems… off."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," her mother said, setting the pie on the table.

"Yeah, he's been through a lot in the last year," Percy said. "Just give him some time."

"But, it's been so long. I expected this the first few weeks afterward, and he was fine, but now…"

"Do I smell pie?" they heard from near the front door. Ron poked his head in the doorway.

Mrs. Weasley sighed. "Aren't you supposed to be in Australia?"

"I've been gone for a week. Haven't you noticed?"

"Yes I have – my kitchen has been unusually full of food without you here to eat it all. Get away from that pie. I made it for your sister."

"She won't mind." He looked to Ginny. "Will you?"

"Get back!" His mother whapped him with a dish towel.

"Fine, fine. No need to attack me." He took a seat opposite of Percy. "Where's Harry at? It's not like you two to be apart, especially around here."

Ginny was about to explain, when Hermione came running into the room and nearly jumped into Mrs. Weasley's arms. "Calm down, girl. What's got you so excited?"

Hermione held her hands together like she had something in them. Actually, it wasn't what was in them, it was what was on them – on the left ring finger, to be exact. Hermione proudly showed off a small gold band with a tiny white diamond on top. Mrs. Weasley almost fell over. "No! You…. He didn't! Ronnie! This is so exciting! Oh, but you two are much too young for these kinds of things!"

"Well, it doesn't have to be right now," Ron said, his ears turning red. "I just figured, you know, since we were in Australia and it was a semi-romantic moment…"

"Looks like he got it out of a toy store," Percy mumbled. Ron shot a nasty look at him.

"No. It was a jewelry store, a real one. That was all I could get, really, after paying for the trip."

"I think it's wonderful," Hermione said, kissing him on the cheek. "Where's Harry? I have to show him! And I'll have to go to Bill and Fleur's tomorrow to show them!"

"Harry stayed home. He wasn't feeling well this morning," Ginny lied. She knew that Percy and her mother had noticed. She had just said that he was well about five minutes ago.

"Oh, poor thing. I'll stop by later then." She ran off again.

"She hasn't sat still yet," Ron mumbled.

"She's excited," Ginny said. "You know she didn't expect that."

"I know, but does she have to tell the whole country?" Ginny knew how Hermione felt. If Harry had done that to her, she'd want the whole universe to know. Problem was, she actually expected it. She knew how much Harry was in love with her, and she with him. That would be the next step, wouldn't it? Oh, stop it girl. He'll ask you. He's just going through a rough patch at the moment. Give him time, like Percy said. If he didn't like you that much, would he let you live with him? Would he let you sleep in his room?

Ron stood up suddenly. He looked at Ginny and jerked his head toward the stairs. She got up to follow him. They went up to her bedroom. "What's up?" he asked, sitting on her bed.

"Nothing."

"I know something's wrong."

"Really, it's okay."

"What did he do?"

"I – what? He didn't do anything."

"Then why are you so upset?"

"He's just been really depressed lately, and I don't know why." She sat at her desk chair. "He won't even talk to me about it. I'm just… worried."

"Well, think about what happened to him. That'd make me depressed."

"I know, but I thought he would have been more depressed after the fact, not a year later. Why has it suddenly shown up?"

"Maybe something's reminded him of it and now he can't get it out of his head."

"What could -" She stopped. That's what it was. I'm going back to school. Her heart sank. "Oh." Ron nodded. "But he wouldn't want to go back with me."

"No, he wouldn't, but you going back reminds him of everything that happened there."

"I'm not staying there. I'm only going for a class or two, then going home."

"But you'll still be there." Ginny felt horrible, thinking how she had caused him pain. "He blames himself for what happened to Fred."

"He shouldn't. He had no control over it."

"He thinks if he would have just given himself up no one would have died."

"That's so stupid." She shook her head, her eyes burning.

Ron was quiet for a second. "He never told you, did he?" he whispered. "What happened?"

"I was there. I know what happened."

"No, I mean, in the forest. Before they brought him out and told us he was dead."

Ginny thought about it. "No, he never did." She felt slightly angry at him for it.

"Ask him about it."

"I will." She got up and headed downstairs, intending on doing just that. She wanted to stay for the pie, but she wanted to ask Harry even more. Ron followed her.

"Where are you going?" her mother asked.

"I need to talk to Harry, right now." She grabbed her things and went to the fireplace.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Ron asked.

"No – wait, yes. Yes I do." Ron climbed in next to her and grabbed her free hand.


	2. A Year Later pt2

When they arrived back at Grimmauld Place, it was so quiet that it was frightening – a big change from all of the noise of Diagon Alley and the Burrow. The only noises were from Kreacher, who was making something in the kitchen. "What are you doing Kreacher?" Ginny asked him.

"Kreacher is preparing dinner for the master and the mistress, as a good house elf should." Ginny was going to tell him not to bother. Harry hadn't been eating much of anything lately. He usually only took nibbles of food so that the elf wouldn't get angry. When she remembered this, she hit herself mentally for forgetting it. I should have realized that something was wrong when that started.

"He calls you the mistress now?" Ron whispered to her.

"I'm pretty damn close to it, aren't I?" she snapped.

"Yeah, but it's just weird." Ginny set her bags on the table and noticed two empty bottles of firewhiskey. Ron had noticed them too. "Oh, so it's like that," he mumbled.

"Kreacher, did you find these bottles?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, Kreacher found them. Kreacher was cleaning, and found them last night."

"Well, then, it might not be from him," Ron said, but neither of them really believed that.

"Where's Harry?" Ginny asked.

Kreacher looked up. "Master went upstairs some time ago. Kreacher hasn't seen him since."

Ginny left the kitchen and headed upstairs. She checked in every room, just to make sure. The house was dark and quiet. She had nearly made it up to the bedroom when she heard the shower running. "Harry?" She knocked on the bathroom door. "Harry?" No answer. She opened the door a bit. "Harry?"

"What?"

Ginny jumped. She hadn't expected him to answer so loudly. He sounded angry with her. "Oh, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine."

"Okay." She closed the door quietly. Ron was behind her – he looked shocked as well. "I know. He's been like this all day."

"Maybe if we just let him alone he'll come around."

"I hope so."

They waited about an hour before trying again. Harry had left the shower and it was quiet again in the house. Ginny snuck back upstairs with her brother close behind her. They found Harry sitting in a chair, staring at something in his hands. "Harry?"

He quickly hid whatever he had. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

"Why do you think there's something wrong with me?"

"You haven't been yourself."

"I'm fine, Ginny."

"No, you're not."

Harry sighed. "Maybe I'm just annoyed because you won't leave me alone." Ginny's heart sank. He wanted her to…

"Fine, I'll leave you alone." She turned and walked straight past Ron and up to the bedroom. In under a minute her things were packed and she walked downstairs quickly.

"You're leaving?" Ron asked her.

"I'm doing just what he wants me to do – leaving him alone." She walked into the fireplace and flooed away.

((Random character switch…))

Ron was left standing in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. He didn't blame Ginny for leaving – Harry had treated her badly. But before he followed her he was going to make sure Harry regretted what he had said.

Ron burst into the room and hung Harry by his ankles. "What the hell is your problem?"

"What – Ron? When did you get here?"

"I've been here this whole time."

"Put me down. What are you talking about?"

"I've been with Ginny this whole time, and I must tell you that I don't like you talking to my sister like that."

"Like what?" Ron spun Harry around. Harry swore at him. "Stop it already!"

"I don't act kindly to those who treat my family like that. You should be happy, though, because she's gone." He sent Harry flying into a wall, then turned on his heels and left.

"What do you mean she's gone?" Harry shouted.

"Gone, left you." He was already making his way down the stairs.

"What? Why? Ron, wait," Harry came to the door. "What's wrong with Ginny?"

Ron stopped and looked back at him. "If you don't know then you didn't deserve to have her in the first place."


	3. A Year Later pt3

Ginny went up to her bedroom and locked herself in. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She wasn't even interested in that pie anymore. She just wanted to be alone. She wrapped herself in a blanket and sat curled up on her bed.

Why was he acting like that? He had been so happy for a year, happier than she could ever remember him being. She remembered one time when he had jumped up and danced with her, even though there was no music. He had a party once, too, just for the sake of having a party. He always had a smile on his face, even when he slept.

And now, in one day, it was all gone?

What could be wrong with him? He's told me everything that happened when he was gone that year, everything. Except… what was that that Ron was talking about? What happened in the forest? He has always told me everything up until when he came to Hogwarts and then left the rest unsaid, as I was there and saw it myself. But… what happened between then and when he came out from under the cloak in the great hall? And why would that affect him now? Or am I overreacting? Maybe he just needs some time to get his head straight. Yeah, that's it. He'll be back to normal soon… I hope… She wanted more than ever to be able to roll over and lean on him.

Suddenly there was a loud pounding on her door. "Ginny!"

She shot up. "Harry?"

"Ginny!" She went for the door slowly. The pounding had stopped, but there was a lot of noise out in the hall. She heard Harry, and Ron, and some others. They were restraining him. Why? No, I want to see him! She opened the door quickly, but they were already downstairs. Ginny knew that her brothers would viciously defend her – she never expected them to go after Harry.

Well, he was horrible to you.

But that's no reason to attack him!

She began chasing after them, but noticed an odd wet feeling in her socks. It was red. Blood… the floor outside of her door was soaked in it. There was a trail going downstairs. What had they done to him?

She ran downstairs, trying her best not to slip. The blood trail had various sets of footprints in it. At the bottom of the stairs it broke into two paths. One was to the front door, and the other led into the kitchen, where she could hear an awful lot of noise. They had Harry on the kitchen table. The chairs and other kitchen things had been thrown to various parts of the room. Her mother, Hermione, and Percy were standing over Harry. Ron was standing nearby, looking squeamish.

She tried to run to Harry, but Ron held her back. "What did you do to him?"

"He did it to himself, spliced into a million pieces. They're trying to fix him."

Ginny pushed through Ron. "I want to help." She ran toward where his head was lying and pulled out her wand. They had already ripped off his clothes. There was a big gash in his right thigh and left forearm, along with several smaller ones all over his body.

His was still conscious – his eyes were open and staring at the ceiling, his mouth was hung open as his lungs tried desperately to keep him alive. She hadn't expected him to be awake. Her wand fell from her hand. She wanted to cry for him. It didn't matter to her what he had done. The man she loved was in pain, and it made her hurt inside to see him like that. She reached out and touched his face. His eyes flicked toward her. His mouth moved like he wanted to speak but nothing came out. Ginny bent down and kissed him on the forehead. His eyes closed, his breathing slowed down a bit. She put her mouth down to his ear and whispered for him to hold on. She stayed there for a while, listening to his still frantic breathing, and then it stopped.

Ginny looked up quickly. For a second she thought that he might have stopped breathing. His chest was still moving, however, although a lot slower. "That's the best we can do," her mother said. They had managed to patch up all of the major wounds. "He'll still be sick for some time from all that blood he lost."

"We should take him to a hospital," Ginny suggested.

"No, it's too risky to move him," Hermione said. "It could make it worse."

Percy floated Harry onto a couch in the living room. Mother Weasley and Hermione were cleaning the floors. Ginny got several blankets and tucked them in around him. She pulled up a chair and sat by him. He was horribly pale and covered in sweat, but he rested peacefully. She wished that he would just open his eyes and tell her that he was alright, but he didn't.


End file.
